This invention generally relates to the field of elevator installation and maintenance, and more particularly to a method of installing an elevator machine within a hoistway.
A typical traction elevator system includes a car and a counterweight disposed within a hoistway, a plurality of tension ropes that interconnect the car and counterweight, and a drive machine having a drive sheave engaged with the tension ropes to drive the car and the counterweight. The ropes, and thereby the car and counterweight, are driven by rotating the drive sheave. Traditionally, the drive machine and its associated equipment were housed in a separate machine room.
Newer elevator systems have eliminated the need for a separate machine room by mounting the drive machine near the ceiling of the hoistway. These elevator systems are referred to as machine room-less systems. Installing a drive machine in a hoistway of a machine room-less elevator system typically entails lifting the drive machine into position from either a floor of the building or an elevator car. This typically requires sufficient overhead space in the hoistway to allow for transport and repositioning of the drive machine to the mounting location. After mounting the drive machine, this overhead space is not necessary for the operation of the elevator system, and is therefore wasted space that adds to the overall construction cost without providing a continuing benefit. Additionally, in some cases it is not feasible to have a hoistway with sufficient overhead space.